Strongsville, Ohio -- Sometimes a piece of art spurs inspiration far beyond simply viewing the piece. And that is preciesly what happened when Ian Gaul saw a photograph of a Japanese Maple tree that stands in Portland, Oregon and decided to transform it into his next tattoo.

Gaul's tattoo, done at Black Metal Tattoo in Strongsville, is one of five finalists vying for the title of Best Tattoo in Greater Cleveland. You are invited to vote hourly through Sept. 20 at 10 a.m. in the poll below.

A live reveal announcing the winner will take place on cleveland.com's Facebook page next week.

Name: Ian Gaul

Age:25

Hometown: Westlake

Tattoo parlor:Black Metal Tattoo in Strongsville

Tattoo artist: Chad Lender

When was your tattoo done: Two years ago.

What was the inspiration for the tattoo: Gaul saw a photo of a Japanese Maple Tree in Portland, Oregon and found it to be the most gorgeous tree he'd ever seen. "I immediately thought, 'I need that tree on my body' and I had just the guy to do it," said Gaul.

How many tattoos do you have: 4

Was getting a tattoo what you expected: It wasn't. He expected it to hurt a lot more. "It actually just kind of felt like a little pinch," said Gaul.

Do you plan on getting any more: Absolutely. He already has more ideas.

What advice would you give someone getting their first tattoo: "Don't think too much about it and don't be nervous," said Gaul.